Uptake of adriamycin and daunomycin in L1210 and human leukemia cells: a comparative study.

The uptake of Adriamycin (AM) and Daunomycin (DM) in L1210 leukemia cells was found to be dependent on drug dose, time, and temperature. DM was taken up to a greater extent in human leukemia cells in vitro and in L1210 leukemic cells both in vitro and in vivo. Intracellular retention of DM was less than that of AM. Drug transport appears to be a factor in developing resistance to DM in L1210 cells, but the data for AM were inconclusive in this regard. The importance of cellular uptake and retension operative in determining differences in the overall therapeutic efficacy in vivo remains to be elucidated.